Automatic non-skid device.



H. STHN.'

. AUTOMATlC NON-SKID DEVICE. I

APPLICATION FILED FEB'. 3\ 1.911.

Patented Feb.19,1918.

2 SHEETS- SHEET l.

TTORNEYS H.'STERN.

v Aurora/111C No-.s1 |n DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED YES- 3. |911-v I 1 Patented 11011194918.

2 suEEfTs-SHEET 2.

HARRY STERN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' AUTOMATIC NON -SKID DEVICE.

Speelticatlon of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

application led February 3, 1917. Serial No. 148,380.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY' STERN, a cit1 zen of the United States, and a resident or the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Auto .iatic NonSkid Device, of which the followin is a. full, clear, and exact description.

his invention relates to traction vehicles and especially to the wheels of motor vehicles. A 4

Among the objects of the invention 1s to provide means carried partly by and partly adjacent to the Wheels of such vehicles for the purpose of applying over the'reads thereof devices to prevent the skidding or slipping of wheels with respect t0 the roadwa A nother object of the invention is to pro vide means under the c. '.\ntrol of the operator, whereby the noirskid devices for the wheel or wheels may be brought into opera.-

. 4tive-position over or across the tread of the wheel or wheels while the machine is in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to remove the non-skid devices from active position while the vehicle is in several views, and in which- .inner edge ofl the wheel rim;

Figure 1 is a' side lelevation of a wheel equipped with my improvement, the parts being in normal idle position on the inside of the wheel or that side of Vthe wheelfadjacent to thc vehicle body and showing the axle casing in section;

Fig-.2 isa vertical transversesection on the lineBf- EJJ of Fig. 1.;

Fig.` 2* is a detail perspective view of a. ortion ofthe annular bracket secured to the Fig.I 3 lis a fragmentary view ot the same character as Fig. 1, 'l lut indicating the action of the setting devices;

Fig'. 4 is a vertical transverse section oil" the line 44 of Fig. 3;

I provide a series of non-skid elements carried by or adjacent to the tire or periph ery of any desired wheel, especially the traction wheels, with the devices so related to the non-skid elements that they are afiagitr be moved either into or out of operative position while the wheel is rotating.. Fach of the non-skid elements comprises what I may term for convenience a finger 10 secured to the outer endfof a-radially disposed plunger 11. Each plunger is mounted .tor rccipu iteration radially of the wheel and for limit-- ed rotation around its own axisin a bearing knuckle 12 formed on or carried by an annular bracket 18. This bracket 13 may be arranged or carried in any suitable manner, but preferably is secured rigidly to the inner edge of the standard wheel felly 14. The knuckle 12 is spaced laterally 'from the plane of the main portion of thc` bracket 13,

being secured thereto by means of a shank 15. The bracket 134 and its attachments may be made in any suitable manner as', :for in stance, from a single piece of sheet metal, lient in the form indicated in Fig. 2a. In thcirnornial idle position, thc tree ends of the fii'igers project forwardly in the same direction and lie substantially in the same circumference along one side of the tire 16 of the wheel.

Each knuckle l2 is provided with a pin 17 which projects through the shell thereof into a groove 18 formed in the plungcr'll.

Said groove. is straight and longitudinal of the plunger throughout the greater portion of its length. but toward its inner end or the y end nearer the inner end of the plunger, the groove is arranged so as to make a quarter spiral, as shown at 18, terminating at the inner end of the spiralA in an outwardly 'extending straight portion 18". .See 'Fig'. 7.

The lparts ofthe groove 18'and 18", therefore,aarc parallel to each other and arranged ninety degrees apart around theaxis of the plunger.'

Secured tothe-inner end of each piunger 11. is a tout 19 the vaxisof whichis pci-nen diculail io the'axis -of the plunger sind' parl vnr-.ected to the free end allel to the general direction of,the finger, though on the opposite side of the plunger from the finger. That is to say, while the linger normally projects forwardly with respect to the rotation ot the wheel, the foot proiects rearwardly. A coil spring 20 surrounds the plunger and operates between the knuckle 12 and the foot 19 with a tendency to hold the non-skid member inwardly to-v ward the axis of the wheel, or with the finger bearing substantially against the outer end of the knuckle. With the parts constructed and mounted as indicated and above described, there i-s very little' of the mechanism visible from the outside of the' whce or on the side opposite the vehicle body.

From what has been stated, it will be understood that the fingers 10 are adapted to be forccd outwardly and so turned as to extend across the tread portion ofthe tire 16 where they will act in the usual-,manner ot' non-skid att-aclnnei'-ts. As a' suitable means for controlling the position of the non-skid elements, l provide a pair of actuators, oneI a setting device E21 and the other a releasing device Q2, adapted to operate, upon the inner or t'oot ends of the plungers to cause them to move radially of the wheel and while theyr are moving thus radially to' he turned through Aan angle of ninety degrees, due to the cooperation between the groove 18.-

The actuators 21 and 22 are both mounted loosely upon a rock shaft shown in this instance as being journaled above and upon the axlecasing 24., by means of a bracket 95. Each actuator vhas a hub 2G provided with an arcuate slot Q7 through which projects a lug Q8 tixedia the rock shaft. Each lactuator rests normally .by gravity in a position closely adjacent to the brake drum 29 with the lower portion of the hubthereot bearing against the lug Q8 in its slot 27.

crank 30' is shown secured t1: the inner end of the rock shaft.. said crank ploiecting nl urinally downwardlyY toward the axle casL irrg. A rod 31, or itsrquivalent. is conof the crank and by manipulation of this rod 31, the operator l of the machine maycause. either ot thev actu! pf Vthe plunge-rs.'

ators to be brought into operation.

Thesetting device 21 occupicsa position in. the. saine plane as all of the feet' 19. 0r, in other words, the main axis of the device 2l lies in the same plane as the axes of all of the plungers 1l. By pulling forwardly upon the rod 31, as shown in Fig. 3, the setting device 21 is swung upwardly 'from its normal' position where it will be struck in succession by the several'feet or inner ends The plungcrs, therefore. are thereby caused to be forced outwardly radially along their respective knuckles 152 and have imparted to the'm a quarter turn 4idle position by just about the time they are caused to approach the outer limit ol moven'ient. The free end of each finger is thus caused to swing transvers-..ly acrr s the tread portion of the tire around an axis radial to the axis of the wheel. and as the the plui'igcr ments which results from the ordinary fiexi- Since the fingers hug bility of the tire. tightly over the tread portion of the tire, there is practically no possibility for the fingers to turn inpractice, due to contact with the roadway. The' outer surfaces of the lingers may be roughened as indicated to increase their tractive effect.. It will be appreciated that this actuation of the nonslcid elements trom their idle to their operative position. is effected substantially automatically and while the wheel is rotated. After all of the fingers have been moved to their operativeposition the operator will release thc rod 31 and tie. .setting actuator 2l will be brought back to 4its normal idle position. The lingers 10 will thus be retained iu their active position indefinitely or until they are desired to bereturned to their idle or obscure position.

According to the devices indicated herein, the non-skid elements are returned to their means of the actuatorV or relasing device 22. When the operator moves the Lrod 31- in the opposite direction from that above described. the actuator 22 willbe lifted to the position shown in Fig. 5. l

This actuator, however, is arranged with itsI axis in a. plane spaced laterally from thel plane of the setting member 21, or in a plane n1 position to be engaged by the free ends of the feet. 19, which at this time project laterally or in a Idirection away from the wheel. The releasing nien'iliier? `sprovided with'a curved or earn-shaped receiving point 22, which is directed inwardly toward the axis of the wheel4 far enough to receivethe free endt each foot `19. The cam portion, however, ot' this member has outward throw sufficient dto cause thereon to be moved outwardly radially `t'ar enough to withdraw the pinv 1T from the straight. portion 1-8" of the groove and to unseat the finger from direct contact with the tread -of the tire. By this time therefore the foot will strike against a lug :22" at the upper end of the cam Q2, which will fause the plunger to start to' rotate around its axis, when by this time the pin 17 will occupy the spiral portion of the groove, and

the setting device,

the plunger receivedv when the foot passes the lug 22", the spring 20 will snap the plunger and its finger inwardly toward the axis of the wheel. See Figs. 5and 6. So all of the non-skid elements will be released successively and returned automatically to their idle position. The releasing actuator then will be dropped to its idle position as shown in Fig. 1.

I claim: 1

1. The combination with a wheel and a circular series of non-skid elements for the periphery thereof, of means to withdrawlthe non-skid elements in succession from said periphery automatically.l

2. The combination with a wheel and independent non-skid elements for the peripher thereof, of means to withdraw said nonskid elements in succession from said periphery while the wheel is rotating in normal operation. y

3. The combination with a wheel,"a series of non-skid elements for the tread of the wheel and supporting means for the nonskid means at one side of the wheel, of means non-skid means acting upon the non-skid elements in succession to cause the same to be moved both into and out of active position over said tread while the wheel is in normal running operation. l A

4. The combination with a wheel, non-skid elements for the tread thereof and supporting means for the non-skid elements carrie by one side of the Wheel and holding themin position for movement around axes radial to the axis of the wheel, of relatively stationary actuator" means acting upon the non-skid elements to move the same around said axes, both into and out of active posi` tion with respect to the tread while'the wheel is in running operation.

5. The combination with a vehicle wheel including a' rim and a tread portion, of nonskid .means for said tread and supporting means for' the non-skid means carried rigidly'y by the inner edge of said rim,

said non-skid means being carried normally idle on the' inner or obscure side of the wheel and radially within the tread thereof, said non-skid means being supported for movement both along and.aroun d axes radial to the wheel, and relatively stationarymeans carried by the vehicle to move the oth into and out of osi- 1 tion over the tread while the vehicle 1s in motion.- A

6. The combination with a vehicle wheel, of a series of non-skid elements carried by the wheel, each of said elements being mov able independently ofthe others outwardly radially of the wheel and then rotatable around an axis coinciding with the line 'of outward movement so as to bring the same into active non-skid -position Aupon the peof the knuckles being` predetermined de land the finger inwardly into idle position.

i'ipheeill of the wheel, and actuator mlsaus. carri by the vehicle'to eifect such outward' GL movement. 7. The combination with a vehicle wheel. including a fell and a series of "cylindrical knuckles carrie by the felly on t e side of y the wheel toward the vehiclebody, the axes 1o radial with respect to the axis of the whee of adplungermounted in eachE of said knuckles an adapted for outward lradial reciprocation therein, means acting upon th'e plunger tending to resist such outward movement, a non-skid finger xed to the outer end of theplunger and-normally at one side of the wheel, actuator means serving to force the lunger outwardly, and means carried-b t e knuckle and coperatingwith the unger to swing the finger around the axis of the plunger and.. across the tread of the wheel while the plunger isv approaching its outward limit of movement.

8. The combination with a vehicle wheel l5 including a felly and a series of cylindrical lmucklesxed to said felly and having radial axes, of a plunger fitted in each knuckle and adapted for reci rocation along the radial axis thereof an rotation around said axis, in and slot connections between the knuck e and the plunger serving to cause a2-` ree of rotation thereof the reciprocation, a nondurin a portion o d skid nger fixed to the outer end of each 06 plunger and held thereby normally in inactive position at one sideof the wheel but being swung by the rotation of the plunger around the axis of the knuckle into active position on the tread portion of thev wheel, and means acting upon the inner end of the plunger to release t e finger from the tread and return it and the plungerto normal inactive osition.

9. T e combination with a vehicle wheel and a circular series of cylindrical knuckles. carried thereb with their axes radial of the axis of the w eel, of a series of independently movable non-skid elements carried by the several knuckles, each non-skid element comprising a plunger fitted for reci rocation along and partial rotation around t e axis 'of its knuckle and a nlger ixed-to`the outer end of the plunger, t e-plunger being provided with a groove having a straight portion at its outer end and a spiral portion at its inner end andthe knuckle being provided with a in proecting' into said groove whereby whe the p unger is moved outwardly the pin willcause rotation of the plunger and the swinging of the finger around the axis of H the plunger, means to force the plunger and linger outwardly, and means acting upon the inner end of the plunger to restore the same HARRY STERN. 

